Louisville-based percussionist, teacher, and writer, and editor of the Percussive Arts Society’s Percussive Notes magazine Rick Mattingly stops by to talk about his local performances in Louisville, the beginnings of his editing and writing career, and his interview style (04:55), his early editing career with Modern Drummer and his interviews and contact with drummers early in their careers (22:30), working as PAS’s Percussive Notes editor (38:35), growing up in Louisville, getting into rock and classical music early on, and getting to perform frequently (47:10), his years studying at the University of Louisville, playing professionally in orchestra, and playing in a hotel-based dance band (56:15), moving to New York City, interviewing members of the Rolling Stones, and his life in the city (01:07:40), moving back to Louisville, teaching and writing, and his work with method books and bringing Gary Chester’s The New Breed to the masses (01:21:00), and finishes with the Random Ass Questions, including segments on private instruction, maintaining physical and mental health, great books, The British Invasion, Louisville cuisine, and the Vesna Duo (01:44:00).

Finishing with a Rave honoring the life and work of Dolly Parton (02:06:30).

Rick Mattingly Links:

Rick Mattingly’s GIA Publications page

Your Music Career is NOT Over - Rick Mattingly

Previous Podcast Guests mentioned:

Julie Spencer in 2021

Norman Weinberg in 2017

Ksenija Komljenovic in 2020

The Vesna Duo in 2022

Other Links:

Roy Burns

Ron Spagnardi

Buddy Rich

Ed Shaughnessy

Jimmy Cobb

Jim Chapin

Don Moye

Peter Criss

Philly Joe Jones

Saul Goodman

Sue Evans

Garwood Whaley

Kenny Aronoff

Dave Weckl

Steve Gadd

Steve Jordan

Denny Carmassi

Val Wilmer

Arthur Press

The Beatles on Ed Sullivan

Max Roach

The Rolling Stones “Steel Wheels” tour

Creedence Clearwater Revival

Edward B. Straight

N.A.R.D.

Anthony J. Cirone

Modern School for Xylophone, Marimba, and Vibraphone - Morris Goldenberg

Clair Omar Musser

“Sonata for Xylophone” - Thomas Pitfield

“Children’s Songs” - Chick Corea and Gary Burton

Chet Atkins

Marvin Hamlisch

Doc Severinsen

“Gonna Fly Now” - Bill Conti

Charlie Watts

Tony Williams

Danny Gottlieb

Joe Morello

Gary Chester

Hal Blaine

Bill Bruford

Carl Palmer

Louisville Leopard Percussionists

Peter Erskine

Nancy Zeltsman

Charles Dickens

Jack Kerouac

Allen Ginsberg

Sherlock Holmes

Agatha Christie

Basil Rathbone

Sherlock trailer

Ed Soph

“Heart Full of Soul” - The Yardbirds

“You Really Got Me” - The Kinks

“Honey” - Bobby Goldsboro

Ramsi’s Cafe

Check’s Cafe

Raves:

Dolly Parton’s New York Times obituary

Saskatchewan-based instrument designer, builder, tuner, and band arranger Jim McCarthy stops by to talk about all of his current work, along with the mallet bar retuning process (03:45), his Canadian Percussion Network conference presentations on his contrabass marimba and vibraphone motor manipulation (18:20), growing up in Adelaide (AUS), his interest in many musical genres and beginning on drumset, and the sports, music education, and weather scene in southern Australia (50:05), his time in undergrad at the University of Adelaide (01:10:00), his post-undergrad years freelancing, performing, arranging, and teaching, along with commentary about his volleyball career (01:23:30), and finishes with the Random Ass Questions, including segments on marimba design, Australian accents, personal health, movie comedies, great books, and traveling around the world (01:39:40).

Finishing with a Rave on the classic novel Vanity Fair (02:15:00).

Jim McCarthy links:

Make a Marimba homepage

Jim’s “Vibes Motor Unlimited” page

Jim McCarthy’s bio at the Make a Marimba webpage

Stick Technique - Jim McCarthy

Jim McCarthy’s Percussion Clinic page

Previous Podcast guests mentioned:

Michael Schutz in 2025

John Wooton in 2022

Other Links:

James Bailey PAS Hall of Fame page

Helmholtz Resonators

Arturo Sandoval

Gary Burton

Australian Contemporary Percussion - Louise Devenish

Tower Heist trailer

The African Queen trailer

Dodgeball trailer

Monty Python and the Holy Grail trailer

Talladega Nights trailer

The Man Who Captured Eichmann trailer

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series - Douglas Adams

Last Chance to See - Douglas Adams

The Many-Colored Land - Julian May

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance - Robert Pirsig

Jonathan Livingston Seagull - Richard Bach

Raves:

Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray

Principal Timpanist for the Houston Symphony (TX) Leonardo Soto stops by to talk about his main gig, teaching at the University of Miami (FL), working at summer festivals, secrets of auditioning, and maintaining a busy schedule (03:35), his previous orchestral jobs at the Detroit Opera (MI) and Charlotte Symphony (NC) and his experiences on the audition circuit later in his career (33:45), growing up in Chile, his father the drummer and pop musician, the legacy of Chilean orchestral percussionists, studying percussion in Chile, and the challenges of equipment and music resources in the country (45:20), his master’s degree work at Carnegie-Mellon University (PA), studying with Tim Adams and (later) Tom Freer, early audition experiences, and learning English through Seinfeld and the Rush Hour movies (01:04:05), and finishes with the Random Ass Questions, including segments on student learning styles, his sporting activities and doing cardio, playing athletic timpani music, Rafa Nadal, Chilean soccer, cooking mishaps, great books, and seeing the artwork in The Vatican (01:27:20).

Finishing with a Rave on the 2026 documentary Cookie Queens (02:04:55).

Leonardo Soto links:

Leonardo Soto’s Houston Symphony page

Leonardo Soto’s University of Miami page

Leonardo Soto’s Remo page

Timpani Concerto - Andy Akiho (Leonardo Soto, soloist)

Previous Podcast Guests mentioned:

She-e Wu in 2025

Pablo Rieppi in 2024

Andrés Espinoza in 2018

Other Links:

Matthew Strauss

Brevard Music Center

Grand Teton Music Festival

National Youth Orchestra

Tom Freer

Tim Adams

Cloyd Duff

Steven Reineke

Svet Stoyanov

Joseph Petrasek

Edward Stephan

Mingyu Son

Luft Mallets

Richard Weiner

Shannon Wood

La Sonora de Tommy Rey

The All-American Drummer: 150 Rudimental Solos - Charley Wilcoxin

Etudes for Timpani - Richard Hochrainer

Rafa Nadal

The Inner Game of Music - Barry Green

City Lights trailer

Cinema Paradiso trailer

The Undefeated Mind - Alex Lickerman

The Alchemist - Paulo Coehlo

Meditations - Marcus Aurelius

Myriam Hernandez

The Vatican

Raves:

Cookie Queens trailer

Denver-based percussionist and educator Reed Puleo stops by to talk about establishing himself in the Denver area and his Fulbright Award to study and work in Austria (02:20), growing up in New Jersey, family members in the arts, his early start in percussion ensemble and percussion performance, and his marching band experiences (34:25), attending Boston Conservatory (MA) for undergrad (47:35), living and studying in Amsterdam after undergrad, the challenges of being there at the time, and heading to the University of Michigan to complete his masters during and after the COVID epidemic (01:02:00), and settles in for the Random Ass Questions, including segments on developing young percussionists, maintaining his physical and mental health, cooking, great movies, New Jersey foods, and Curb Your Enthusiasm (01:17:35).

Finishing with a Rave on the 2023 documentary Karen Carpenter: Starving for Perfection (01:44:40).

Reed Puleo Links:

Reed Puleo’s webpage

Previous Podcast Guests mentioned:

Michael Jones in 2026

Ian Antonio in 2023

Keith Aleo in 2020

Other Links:

Klangforum Wien

Alex Lipowski

Ensemble Modern

Christian Dierstein

Lucerne Festival Academy

Impulse New Music Festival

Kenneth Piascik

“Three Brothers” - Michael Colgrass

“Ostinato Pianissimo” - Henry Cowell

“Variations on a Ghanaian Theme - Dan Levitan

Neil McNulty

Kyle Brightwell

Nancy Zeltsman

Doug Perkins

Chosen Vale

“Hop(2)” - Paul Lansky

From My Little Island - Robert Aldridge

American Songbook II - George Crumb

Chris Sies

Colin Currie

(Untitled) trailer

Michael Compitello

Nathan Davis

A Different Man trailer

Unfrosted trailer

The Catcher in the Rye - J.D. Salinger

Jannik Sinner

“Mr. Brightside” - The Killers

Rose Garden

Raves:

Karen Carpenter: Starving for Perfection trailer

Fort Hays State (KS) Director of Percussion Studies Luke Helker stops by to talk about the FHSU job and about recruiting to a small regional college (02:45), his recent presentation at the Canadian Percussion Network’s annual conference and its beginnings (17:05), growing up in Pennsylvania, his vast array of musical influences and experiences, getting to travel with family, and his years of undergrad at Millersville University (PA) studying percussion and audio production (25:50), his grad school years at the University of Kansas, his time as a wedding DJ, studying under Mike Compitello and Sam Um, and his early teaching experiences (49:10), and then Luke settles in for the Random Ass Questions, including segments on marching vs. concert percussion, great and terrible movies, John Steinbeck, metal music, Philly sports, and the artist Alphonse Mucha (01:11:30).

Finishing with a Rave on the book and movie versions of The Odyssey (01:48:05).

Luke Helker Links:

Luke Helker’s website

Luke Helker’s Fort Hays State website

Previous Podcast Guests mentioned:

Michael Jones in 2026

Other Links:

Ryan Pearson

“Child of Tree” - John Cage

“The Ice is Talking” - Vivian Fung

“Allegro ma non troppo” - Unsuk Chin

“Echolalia” - Mark Applebaum

Oklahoma!

ABBA

Mozart for Monday Mornings

Puccini and Pasta

The Who

Neil Young

Arab Spring

James Armstrong

Stick Control - George L. Stone

Syncopation - Ted Reed

Toccata for Percussion Instruments - Carlos Chavez

Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture - PI Tchaikovsky

Symphony No. 2 - Jean Sibelius

Rick Rubin

The Strokes

Wilco

My Morning Jacket

@Percussion Podcast

Michael Compitello

Sam Um

“Starships” - Nikki Minaj

“Fireball” - Pitbull

“At Last” - Etta James

“I Loved Her First” - Heartland

“Celebration” - Kool and the Gang

“Shout” - The Isley Brothers

“Wobble” - V.I.C.

“Yeah!” - Usher and Lil Jon

“Turn Down for What” - DJ Snake and Lil Jon

Ed Sheeran

“Art of Almost” - Wilco

Reflections on the Nature of Water - Jacob Druckman

Huberman Lab podcast

NOPE trailer

The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift trailer

Orbital - Samantha Harvey

The Winter of Our Discontent - John Steinbeck

Slipknot

Metallica

Ghost

Bell Witch

sunn O)))

Phillies 2008 World Series

Eagles vs. Patriots Super Bowl LII

Jaylen Brown

Wawa

“Friends in Low Places” - Garth Brooks

Alphonse Mucha - Nelson Atkins Museum

Raves:

The Odyssey - Homer (translation by Emily Wilson)

The Odyssey trailer

Carleton University (ON) Ethnomusicologist and Director of Fine Arts Kathy Armstrong stops by to talk about her job, teaching West African drumming and dance, Baobab, and traveling and learning in Ghana for many years (03:30), her recent Canadian Percussion Network Conference presentation and the importance of Global Percussion Studies in standard Western Percussion tradition (21:45), growing up in the Scarborough area of Toronto, her early musical influences (including Soul and Funk music), her wonderful public school music background, the idea of “rhythmic tapestry”, and her experiences in the Girl Guides of Canada (36:10), attending the University of Toronto, studying with members of NEXUS, her post-undergrad experience and branching out into an entrepreneurship mindset (57:15), and finishing with the Random Ass Questions, including segments working in world percussion, the importance of maintaining physical and mental health, baking, sports, and great movies and poetry (01:18:00).

Finishing with a Rave on the 2026 FIFA World Cup (01:45:05).

Kathy Armstrong links:

Kathy Armstrong’s website

Kathy Armstrong’s Carleton University page

Previous Podcast Guests Mentioned:

Daniel Noonan in 2026

Chrissie Souza in 2024

Sarah Hasekamp in 2024

Fabrice Marandola in 2026

Kristie Ibrahim in 2024

Other Links:

NEXUS Percussion

Stevie Wonder

Breakfast in America - Supertramp

Earth, Wind, and Fire

Tower of Power

Led Zeppelin

Nina Simone

Earth, Wind & Fire documentary

Summer of Soul trailer

Peter Gabriel live in 1986

The Specials

“Come Talk to Me” - Peter Gabriel

“English Folk Song Suite” - Ralph Vaughan Williams

Sting

Paul Simon

Ladysmith Black Mambazo

Michelle Colton

Beverley Johnston

Timothy Rice

James Kippen

Big Night trailer

Hamnet trailer

Mamma Mia! trailer

Fall On Your Knees - Ann-Marie MacDonald

Outlander - Diana Gabaldon

K.C. and the Sunshine Band

“Shake It Off” - Taylor Swift

Kirk Franklin

“Le Freak” - CHIC

Northern Super League

The Professional Women’s Hockey League

Rumi

Mary Oliver

Raves:

The 2026 FIFA World Cup

Recent Mizzou Masters of Music degree graduate in Percussion Performance Daniel Noonan stops by to talk about his degree recital and his interest in avant-garde music (04:00), his assistantship with the New Music Ensemble, working with new composers, and international travel (18:30), his experiences playing in various ensembles, the Odyssey Chamber Music Series in Columbia, and some of the other Mizzou Graduate Percussionists Daniel worked with (34:25), growing up in Morganton (NC), the issues of access to quality instruction in rural areas, his marching band experiences, and English class and his favorite books from the time (48:45), attending Western Carolina University for undergrad, Cullowee (NC), and studying under Dr. Adam Groh (01:02:00), getting to Mizzou and studying with Dr. Megan Arns (01:18:15), and settles in for the Random Ass Questions, including segments on early percussion education, cooking gumbo, The Hitchhiker’s Guide book series, Ireland, and the great foods of North Carolina (01:28:10).

Finishing with a Rave on the 2026 film Disclosure Day (01:55:30).

Daniel Noonan Link:

Daniel Noonan’s Instagram

Previous Podcast Guests mentioned:

Julia Gaines-Montag in 2016

Megan Arns in 2026

Matthew Hinkle in 2026

Adam Groh in 2022

Luke Haymon in 2025

Mark Ford in 2023

Julie Davila in 2019

Nathan Daughtrey in 2021

Cara Wildman in 2021

Other Links:

“Song for Low Tree” - Matthew Burtner

“Toccata” - Anna Ignatowicz

“She Who Sleeps with a Small Blanket” - Kevin Volans

“Rebonds B” - Iannis Xenakis

So Percussion Summer Institute

“Millenium Canticles” - Missy Mazzoli

“Ionisation” - Edgard Varese

Eighth Blackbird

Bang on a Can

Machu Picchu

Odyssey Chamber Music Series

The Pieces that Fall to Earth - Christopher Cerrone

“White Pines” - Michael Burritt

“Pillar 1” - Andy Akiho

Les Misérables - Victor Hugo

“XY” - Michael Gordon

Dubliners - James Joyce

Matt Henley

Diana Loomer

“Third Construction” - John Cage

“Canticle No. 3” - Lou Harrison

“to wALk Or ruN in wEst harlem” - Andy Akiho

“meditation for metal pipes” - Emma O’Halloran

Fantastic Mr. Fox trailer

Madame Web trailer

Avatar: Fire and Ash trailer

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams

Discworld - Terry Pratchett

Monty Python’s Flying Circus opening credits

Robert Honstein

King Gizzard and the Lizard Wizard

JD’s Smokehouse

Cook Out

Bojangles

Raves:

Disclosure Day trailer

Maryland-based freelance percussionist and educator Greg Herron stops by to talk about his new job as McDonogh School Upper School Band Director and Music Technology teacher, along with his private percussion teaching practice (02:25), his start to freelancing, and his career and life in Boston, Mexico, studying in Cuba, and heading back to Baltimore (11:50), growing up in many locations in the U.S., his active musical background, studying at the University of Miami (FL) and Boston Conservatory (MA), the many teachers who influenced him, and the importance of networking for freelancing gigs (41:50), and finishing with the Random Ass Questions, including segments on instrument rentals, working with administration, and taking care of his physical and mental health (01:24:05).

Finishing with a Rave on the 2018 book Atomic Habits (01:38:25).

Greg Herron links:

Greg Herron’s webpage

Previous Podcast Guests mentioned:

Jenna Duranko in 2026

Neil Grover in 2023

Keith Aleo in 2020

Rebecca Kite in 2018

Other Links:

Roy Haynes

Ralph Hardimon

Thom Hannum

Tom Aungst

Pat Hollenbeck

Scott Eisenberg

Foghorn Leghorn

The Karate Kid trailer

Caleb Herron

I’m Possible - Richard White

Dontae Winslow

D.J. Sparr

“Eruption” - Van Halen

Lion Performance Hall

John Locke

Grant Menafee

Nate Morton

Matt Halpern

Steve Rucker

Steve Bagby

Advanced Techniques for the Modern Drummer - Jim Chapin

Scott Deal

Seth Wexler

John Tafoya

Lou Abbott

Svet Stoyanov

Phil Faini

Fritz Reiner

Max Roach

Elvin Jones

Joe Henderson

John H. Beck

Vic Firth

Evelyn Glennie

Colin Currie

Edna Huang

Buddy Rich

Gustav Klimt

Raves:

Atomic Habits - James Clear

New York-based Percussionist, Recording Artist, Researcher and Educator Michael Jones stops by to talk about his current teaching job at Bard College (NY) and his work throughout the school (04:40), how his graduate studies at UC-San Diego influenced his solo CD projects (17:30), his philosophical research on ontology and percussion instrument ideology and modernity, and questions about what “total percussion” means today (30:30), growing up in Connecticut, his progressive metal music background, high school band, and his involvement in the Live Action Role-Playing community (58:25), his undergrad years at the Hartt School of Music (CT) and studying under Ben Toth and many of the other faculty there (01:12:45), more about his graduate work at UCSD, studying under Steven Schick, and many of his UCSD student colleagues (01:25:35), and settles in for the Random Ass Questions, including segments on the impact of YouTube on young musicians, discussions of mental health, metal music, great books, and the San Diego Superbloom (01:39:40).

Finishing with a Rave on the 2026 documentary Earth, Wind & Fire (02:08:20).

Michael Jones Links:

Michael Jones’ website

Michael Jones’ Bard College page

Michael Jones’ Discography

Previous Podcast Guests mentioned:

Steven Schick from 2025

Rebecca Lloyd-Jones from 2022

Nicholas Papador from 2024

Other Links:

Eric Cha-Beach

Jason Treuting

Nicholas Deyoe

Pluto Bell

Scott Wollschleger

Sun Ra

Thurman Barker

“Psappha” - Iannis Xenakis

The Percussionist’s Art - Steven Schick

Amy Cimini

Unsound Supplies - Fanny Gribenski (editor)

Anthropocene Period

Writing the Implosion - Joseph Dumit

Between the Buried and Me

Protest the Hero

Scale the Summit

Periphery

Fred Hinger

Ben Toth

Joe Galeota

John Amira

Shane Shanahan

Ted Piltzecker

Rogerio Boccato

From Me Flows What You Call Time - Toru Takemitsu

Percussion Group Cincinnati

Herbert Brün

Bill Solomon

“Thirteen Ways of Looking at a Blackbird” - Lukas Foss

William Winant

“Bone Alphabet” - Brian Ferneyhough

“Persephassa” - Iannis Xenakis

Zen and the Art of Archery - Eugene Herrigel

Fiona Digney

Princess Mononoke trailer

Star Wars: The Last Jedi trailer

Rakesfall - Vajra Chandrasekera

Swann’s Way - Marcel Proust (Lydia Davis translation)

Meshuggah

San Diego Superbloom

Nardelli’s

Zetsu No. 8 - Nishida Jun

Raves:

Earth, Wind & Fire documentary trailer

It’s Episode 500, and the 10-year Anniversary of Pete’s Percussion Podcast!  After Pete talks about the early days of the show (01:45), he welcomes back his Mizzou colleague, member of the Percussive Arts Society Board of Directors, Percussionist, Educator and Administrator Megan Arns back to the show for the first time in 8 years!  Megan talks about her early years in percussion and her experiences and jobs prior to taking the Percussion Director Position at Mizzou in 2014 (12:00), her 12 years so far at Mizzou, what’s she’s learned, her administrative role, the job market and the challenges for future percussion teachers (17:30), working with grad students these days and her own experiences as a grad student (36:30), why she’s involved in PAS Leadership now, having a family and the challenges and opportunities of continuing to keep a professional career (44:00), her work with the Switch~ Ensemble (01:03:30), when her mentor Michael Burritt came to visit Mizzou in the spring (01:11:00), and a brief Random Ass Questions segment including managing her own physical and mental health, her knowledge of children’s media, new and upcoming travels, her father the college professor, “full send”, and some kudos to Pete for the podcast (01:21:35).

Finishing with the Raves, including some FAQs about the podcast and Pete’s heartfelt thanks to the guests and the fans of the show (01:38:00).

Megan Arns Links:

Megan Arns’ website

Megan Arns’ Mizzou page

Switch~ Ensemble website

Bill Kalinkos

Previous Megan Arns’s podcast appearances:

Megan in 2016

Megan in 2017

Megan in 2018

Previous Podcast Guests mentioned in this episode:

John Parks IV in 2018

Troy Hall in 2020

Clif Walker in 2021

Mark Ford in 2023

William Moersch in 2019

Joshua Simonds in 2022

Other Links:

Lewis & Clark Fife and Drum Corps

Colts Drum & Bugle Corps

Michael Bump

Michael Burritt

Royal Hartigan

“Kakamora” from Moana

Experimental Media and Performing Arts Theater

KPop Demon Hunters trailer

Moana trailer

Frozen trailer

Wicked trailer

“Takedown” from KPop Demon Hunters